Drug rehab definition

Drug rehab is the process of treatment and recovery from drug abuse or addiction. Drug rehab programs, either inpatient provide services for treatment and counseling, as well as aftercare program referral. Medical detox programs can be a part of drug rehab.

What happens during drug rehabilitation?

1. Assessment

You will first sit down with a counselor or admissions staff and complete a series of written or verbal interviews. This immediate process of intake and assessment is essential to your stay in our center. During this process, drug rehab personnel assess your current condition, define the nature of drug use/addiction, and determine a specific treatment plan for you as an individual. This phase typically includes a drug test and interview(s) using a standardized questionnaire.

2. Medical detox

Medical detox is helpful for people who have become physically dependent on their drug of choice. It is best to go through withdrawal under medical supervision so that you can receive medicines or support for uncomfortable symptoms. During medical detox from drugs, you will experience withdrawal symptoms that will be monitored by medical staff. Medications may or may not be given and administered by staff to assist you with detox and withdrawal symptoms, depending on the severity of your condition. Drug rehab program staff will monitor and stabilize you 24-7 during the process of detox. Medical detox is usually supervised by a medical doctor and shows best results when the next step of rehab follows immediately.

3. Social therapy, Behavioral Treatments, and Pharmacotherapy

Counseling is one of the most important phases of drug rehab. This phase includes an analysis of your mental and emotional condition in order to make positive changes in thinking, feeling and behavior in order to prevent relapse. Therapy is usually facilitated in group settings, although some time each week one-on-one meetings will be scheduled with an assigned therapist. Pharmacotherapy, or the use of prescription medications, will be based on individual need and may be started during medical detox. The decision about the use of medicines in the treatment of drug addiction is largely dependent upon the drug abused, the severity of dependence, and the diagnosis of co-occurring disorders. For example, medications are available for opiate/opioid maintenance therapies, with the intention of reducing craving and interrupting physical dependence. Likewise, antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed after long term use of stimulants.

4. Education

Education on theories of addiction is an important step during drug rehab, as it gives you knowledge about drug use and its effects. Education empowers you to stay clean and maintain long-term sobriety as you rationally understand more about the brain and the body, and how they related to drug use.

5. Supportive Services and Aftercare

Supportive services are offered during drug rehab and can also be the final step of drug rehab, as you create a support network outside the drug rehab, including attendance at support groups, counseling, and aftercare services.